(haipo) This morning, Thursday, 11/09/2025, the Haifa Municipality sent inspectors to HaGalil Street in the Neve Sha'anan neighborhood, with the aim of evacuating a Haredi school that was established without a permit in the building of the "popular" cinema that has ceased to operate. This is an event that is causing a public uproar in the neighborhood, and rekindling the tension between the Haredi population and secular residents, surrounding the issue of the use of public buildings and the urban character. It should be noted that there is a Haredi school operating next to the cinema, which the Municipality did not request to evacuate, since it was active and had students studying there. Today, it was decided to send inspectors because an attempt was made to take control of the cinema building. At this moment, the evacuation of a warehouse, which contains a lot of equipment, is still ongoing.
Haredi takeover of a municipal building without permission
The incident began when an ultra-Orthodox organization began operating a school in the "Ammi" cinema building, which closed several months ago. The building, which belongs to the Haifa municipality, remained empty, and quickly became a target for ultra-Orthodox elements who began using it for educational purposes, without approval, without a building permit, and without coordination with the authorities. The municipality, which saw this as an illegal invasion of public property, sent inspectors this morning to clear the place.
Haifa Municipality's response:
This is an illegal invasion of municipal property, carried out by an association that owns part of the building. The municipality claims that the activity at the site caused serious structural damage, and that it views the case very seriously. "The municipality is acting in accordance with the provisions of the law and its authorities, in order to remove the invasion and return the property to public use."
Taking over buildings – a familiar phenomenon in Haifa neighborhoods
The invasion of the "popular" cinema is not an isolated incident. This is a widespread and well-known phenomenon in Haifa, in which ultra-Orthodox groups take over public buildings without permission. Among the neighborhoods where similar incidents have occurred are Ramat Eshkol, Ramat Begin, Old Romema, and of course Neve Sha'anan. Sometimes these are abandoned buildings, and sometimes even existing synagogues, which become exclusive to the ultra-Orthodox movement that has arrived in the neighborhood.
Educational institutions and synagogues – Exceptions to public building uses
Over the years, there have been cases where shelters, apartments, and schools in various neighborhoods have been used as synagogues, contrary to their original purpose. Residents report buildings that have been converted to religious uses without a permit, harming the character of the neighborhood and the original public use of the property. The current case, in which an entire school was built in a municipal building without a permit, constitutes an even more serious exception.
Residents' struggles against changing the neighborhood character
The secular population in Haifa has waged a number of successful struggles in recent years against attempts to change the character of secular neighborhoods. In Ramat Eshkol, for example, residents succeeded in preventing Haredi takeovers of public buildings, thereby preserving the neighborhood's character. The leaders of the struggle have even reached out to other neighborhoods, such as Ramat Begin and Romema, to share their experiences and assist in local organization.
Neve Sha'anan – a huge neighborhood with accelerated demographic change
The Neve Sha'anan neighborhood is the largest neighborhood in Israel, with about 70,000 residents, more than in many cities in the country. Over the past 50 years, there has been a significant increase in the number of ultra-Orthodox residents in the neighborhood, which has led to profound changes in its character. Synagogues have become central hubs of activity, and the secular population has sometimes felt marginalized.
Residents' complaints about harm to secular lifestyle
Secular residents of Neve Sha'anan report changes that make it difficult for them to lead a free lifestyle. Among the complaints: loud music until the Sabbath begins, opposition to women exercising in public in sportswear, and takeover of public spaces. The feeling in the neighborhood is of growing tension between different population groups, with each side trying to preserve its values and lifestyle.
Ramat Begin case: a boarding school evacuated by the municipality
The current case is reminiscent of a previous incident in the Ramat Begin neighborhood, where a municipal building was converted into an ultra-Orthodox boarding school without a permit. Even then, the municipality took action to evacuate the building, claiming that it was an unlawful use and damage to public property. This is a consistent policy of the municipality, which is trying to deal with the phenomenon of taking over public buildings, but is forced to deal with political and social pressures.
Tension between religious sects – an ongoing urban issue
The tension between the Haredi population and secular or religious-national residents is not new, but it is exacerbated when it comes to the deviant uses of public buildings. Changing the designation of municipal buildings, and establishing educational institutions without permission, all of which create a sense of alienation and violation of the rights of residents. The municipality is required to balance different needs, but is sometimes forced to act decisively.
One of the most prominent phenomena in the fight against Haredi takeover is the solidarity between neighborhoods. Residents of Ramat Eshkol, who faced similar cases, turned to other neighborhoods to help and share their experiences. Public organizing, including action groups, petitions, and meetings with elected officials, has become a central tool in the fight to preserve neighborhood character.
"Folk" Cinema – A Cultural Symbol That Became a Center of Controversy
The "Ammami" cinema was a cultural symbol in the Neve Sha'anan neighborhood for years. Its closure evoked a sense of loss among many residents, who saw it as an important community center. The Haredi takeover of the building sparked angry reactions, and turned the place into a center of controversy. Residents are demanding that the building be returned to use by the general public, in accordance with its original purpose.
Response from the "Together" Association
The school operates in a building shared with a popular cinema and the school has no connection to cinema.
The school opened the school year as usual, in a building it has been using for over 20 years. Students from a diverse Israeli background are educated together, interested in a framework that emphasizes ethical and educational excellence.
A popular cinema building. The school was initially built without permits. One morning, at 4 a.m., tractors arrived. They cut down trees that were about 70 years old. All of this was about 10 years ago. We issued orders against them. They continued to build. There is no shelter and no possibility for a rescue vehicle to arrive. How is there a permit? Loudspeaker noise, transportation from all over the north. They ruined our peace! The whole building belongs to the municipality? Great. Will they evacuate the school? The neighborhood's fear? Obviously. Mezuzahs everywhere. They spat on me twice. The third time - I will not be silent!
Awareness of and by rabbis. Building without a permit on a public sidewalk - Rabbi Peretz's business. Taking over and converting a shelter into a yeshiva or synagogue - adjacent to the water tower. Making every business elegantly kosher.
Building a synagogue in a building to be demolished - on Galilee Street. "Between Times" - has become a nightmare. Barbarians live in other people's apartments. Noise and dirt thrown out of the windows.
Not enough?
The Haredim have too many children, so they don't have room. This problem of overpopulation needs to be solved.
Correction to the text: The cinema closed about two years ago on 7/10/23, that horrible day, and not "a few months ago" as you wrote. Beyond that, it is a great pity that the Haifa Municipality was not able to reopen it so that the secular public could also have some peace in Neve Sha'anan, which is becoming increasingly terrifying before our eyes and is sinking. Apparently, the municipality wants Ammi's fate to be like the fate of the "Moriya" cinema, which closed many years ago and has since stood desolate, rotting and musty to the "glory" of the sleepy Haifa Municipality.
Just to make you listen - those "owners" of my people and my teachers, z"l!
Haifa was once a "pilgrimage" center for residents of the north and the Galilee in general. Studies, shopping and entertainment. Unfortunately, the Haredim are ruining every good part. They are the settlers in a new edition within the cities of Israel. They are expanding, multiplying and in most cases managing to take over the city and determine their own policy. The situation must be prevented immediately. They are trying to determine the policy. Religion. As if problems outside were not enough, then problems at home too. Do not give in to this. Haifa will not retreat under any circumstances. Haifa faces its existence and not backwards.
Incorrigible parasites. They breed herds of children who are unable to support themselves and who also grow up to be parasites. They contribute nothing and, at the very least, rob the public treasury. They don't care and try to take over public property. A violent cancer in the body of the state.
I strongly support the municipality's action, but at the same time I must point out that the article is worded divisively. The name of the organization is not mentioned throughout, but there is a lot of emphasis on it being ultra-Orthodox and on similar events in the city. Only at the end of the article is the response of the "Bihhad" organization mentioned, without explicitly stating whether it is the organization that invaded the cinema.
We are a secular family, we greatly appreciate the goodness of the Haredi world, and we even sent our child a few years ago to be educated at the "Behad" kindergarten at the International. We experienced wonderful years there, with a values-based education, respect for others, knowing others, and bringing hearts closer together.
Every society has more and less extremists. It's good that they stopped the illegal invasion, but it's unfortunate that they're using it to divide and attack different communities in the city.
Even in the secular public, there are extremists who act provocatively for goals that seem worthy to them, just like in the Haredi public. Upholding the laws of the state keeps us all, for the time being, restrained to the extent possible. I hope that we will not lose this restraint and will learn to respect, recognize, accommodate and cherish the good that is different from us. Otherwise, none of us really deserve to live here.
There is a reason we are all here, and the reason is to learn to get along together. If "Together" is indeed the organization that invaded, I am saddened to hear about it, and I hope they will do a home inspection and return to the path that brings them closer within the framework of the law.
Happy Shabbat to all of us.
It's not the wording that is divisive, but the ultra-Orthodox conduct.
This is the organization that invaded, and turned my neighbors' lives into hell!
They are the ones who divide. They don't respect court orders.
Yes, yes, this is just part of the Haredi domination of public buildings and municipal buildings. Field work by the authorized authorities in the municipality will eradicate the free eaters. What levels of audacity have they reached on Galilee Street in front of number 70? They control the apartment.
Fraudulent takeover in broad daylight
What audacity, invading the building!
Without permission. What is this?!?
From the beginning, the school was built without a license. I issued orders to stop the construction, which were not honored.
In retrospect, the creep was trained!
They took over the building? The order will be enforced. The school will be dismantled. The cinema will be returned.
We are laughing!